New Guidance On Achieving Joint Certification Of BREEAM, WELL

A new briefing paper from BRE And IWBI outlines how projects can achieve joint certification of BREEAM and the WELL Building Standard.

January 22, 2018

New Guidance On Achieving Joint Certification Of BREEAM, WELL

A new, improved briefing paper that outlines how building projects can achieve both a certified BREEAM rating and WELL Certification is being offered by BRE and the International WELL Building Institute™ (IWBI™) .

The updated crosswalk document, Assessing Health and Wellbeing in Buildings – Alignment between BREEAM and the WELL Building Standard™, was developed as part of a commitment to continuous improvement by IWBI and BRE using industry feedback from professionals working to achieve joint certification of BREEAM and the WELL Building Standard™ (WELL™). To simplify the process for project teams pursuing both standards, BRE and IWBI worked together to compare performance requirements, harmonize evidence, and identify opportunities to streamline the process of achieving dual certification.

Specific improvements and enhancements to the guidance document include instructions for projects that clarify how to use the crosswalk, minor amendments to the alignments and overlaps between the two standards, and a simplified labeling system. The new crosswalk also features useful notes and comments to clarify these alignments.

Additionally, the project types and schemes for both certification programs have expanded. Extra guidance is now included for Core & Shell projects targeting dual certification, to ensure that all WELL project types — New and Existing Buildings, New and Existing Interiors, and Core & Shell — have a clear roadmap forward. BREEAM schemes in the crosswalk include BREEAM New Construction UK and International, BREEAM Refurbishment & Fit Out, BREEAM-In-Use, and now BREEAM USA–In-Use.

“Our friends working to deliver sustainable, healthy buildings in the UK and Europe have given us specific and thoughtful input that helped inform this update. We’re pleased to continue our collaboration with BREEAM to make it easier for project teams to link their sustainability initiatives to WELL,” said IWBI Chairman and CEO Rick Fedrizzi. “Through this enhanced crosswalk, together we can advance the positive impacts we can have on both people and the planet.”

“We welcome this feedback from the early adopters of the Crosswalk,” said Alan Yates, Technical Director of BREEAM. “Since its development over 25 years ago health and well-being factors like air quality, lighting, ventilation, and ecology have been a key part of the BREEAM standard. WELL introduces further complementary factors and post occupancy measurement. We look forward to working together to drive further progress in delivering a built environment that enhances the lives of people and the planet.”

Originally published in January 2017, the document demonstrates the significant synergies between the two methods and the efficiencies that exist between their assessment and certification processes. It highlights the BREEAM credits that can be used to demonstrate compliance with WELL features and, conversely, the WELL features that can be used to demonstrate compliance with BREEAM assessment issues.

WELL is a global standard and addresses a number of issues already covered by regulations in the UK and across the EU. For this reason, the document also sets out the areas where WELL requirements are aligned with UK and/or EU regulations. BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings. It is now applied in 77 countries around the world with over 2.2million buildings registered.

BRE and IWBI will continue to work together to update the document as BREEAM and WELL are significantly updated or modified. This will include the launches of BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 and WELL v2.

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